Crack filler



Dec. 2, 1930. 'J. D. TOMLINSON 1,783,683

CRACK FILLER Filed Dec. 8 1928 2T7: J B {ITTORNEY ing the laying of plaster board or the like.

Patented Dec. 2, I930 PATENT OFFICE JULIAN D. TOMLIN S ON/OF C'QIILEGE- PLACE, WASHINGTON CRACK FILL R, I

App lication filed December8 1928. Serial No. 324,773.

This invention relates to crack fillers, more particularly adapted to use as apointin tool when finishing construction work embody.-

The invention' has as one of its objects to provide a tool that will" maintain moisture and thereby retard the initial setting in plaster-until the plaster is placed.

1 Another object of the'invention is to pro vide a crack filler which by means of a magazine will carry enough mortar to-complete the work of each set up. H V A further object 'of the invention is to provide a crack filler that is adapted tofforce the plaster into 'joints under pressure. i

A further object'of the invention is to provide a crack filler having anozzle adapted to direct the mortar directly .intothecrack,

or joint, and towipe the joint smooth. 1 3

A further object of the invention is to provide a crack filler that is adapted for use insemi-inacessible places. v 7

With these and other objects in view ref-' erence is now had to the accompanying drawings in which p f F 1g; 1 is a side elevation of the crack filler, TFig. 2is a plan view of the nozzle end of the device, showing a handle extended;

Fig; 3 isa plan view of thenozzle endof the device showing its application in ac cessible positions and with the handle. closed Fig. 4: is a plan view, of the nozzle endof the device showing its application in semiinaccessible-places; and r of the device showing a method of assembly Fig. 5 is a sectional view of the nozzle end.

designed to eliminaterough places due to imperfectjoints. 1 Having reference to the drawings like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views and the numeral infers to the device as a whole which comprises a maga zine 2, a force feeding mechanism 3, and a distributing means 4 assembled together for a common purpose.

Fig. 5.

The magazine portion consists of acylinder 5 adapted to accommodate a plunger 6 (shown'dotted) in the usual manner of plungers, and is constructed of a size to'contain apreferred quantity of mortar of about'1 pints, which quantity provides for a fillerof convenient size to handle, and which quantity is also deemed sufficient for a single set up of scafiolding, and further that this amount can be applied before any tendency to set has taken place in the mortar.

The cylinder 5 is threaded on both ends to removably engage heads 7 and 8, and the unlon of the cylinder and heads is arranged to provide fora smooth, even, passage for the mortar through the device, the union being made preferably in the manner shown in The head 7 is termed the plunger head and has an extended neck 9 adapted to provide a bearing for the plunger rod 10, which plunger rod is attached to the plunger Gin the usual manner ofsuch construction, and is provided with an extended portion 11 in which notches 12 are formed, for a purpose to be explained, with therod' being completed with ahand button 13' of the usual type, as shown, and for the usual purpose of pressing the plunger against the mortar toremove all slack anduntil it meets resistance requiring. other means of forcing themortar out of thenozzle, which forcingmeans 3 will now be explained. V V

The head 7 is providedwith an extended portion 14, preferably formed integral therewith, and this portion is continued to a position perpendicular with the cylinder 5 and forms a handle l5 for thev device, a ring 16 being provided in its upperend for the in- V sertion of the thumbof theoperaton' Pivotally attached to the extended portion is an operating lever 17 arranged in cooperable relation with the handle 15 and the lever has its lower end forked, as at 18, and arranged to straddle the plunger rod 10, and

to the ends of the fork a dog 19 is pivotally attached and consists of arms 20 (only one of which is shown) which terminate in a tongue 21 adapted to engage the notches 12 in the plunger rod.

A spring 22 yieldingly maintains the lever 17 in the normal position, shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 1, and with this combination it is obvious that upon pressing the lever 1'? against the handle 15 the plunger 6 will force the mortar out of the filler, and upon releasing the lever that member will assume the normal position shown by aid of the spring 22 and ready for the next similar operation of the lever.

It will now be noted that the force'feed mechanism includes the head 7, plungenfi,

handle 15, operating lever 17 and dog 19, and

that all are combined in one assembly which will remain undisturbed and assembled 'even when removed for filling the magazine.

he other head 8 is termed the nozzle head and forms a part of the distributing means l, which will now be explained;

The distributing means consists (in addition to the head) of a neck 23 consisting of any preferred form of flexible tubing, or as represented, and is secured in the nozzle head 8 to normally extend longitudinally of the cylinder 5, and is equipped on its outer end 24: with a spreading tip 25, the body 26 of which is preferably of rectangular form and having its discharge end 27 of a size and finish to closely engage the surface of the work with a margin on either side of the joint, the marginal overlap providing for an enlarged top and exit orifice thatwill carry a surplus of mortar available for immediate use.

The ti p is further provided with a collar28 adapted to secure the tip to the neck 23 and this collar has sufficient bearing surface to accommodate oppositely positioned pivots 29, to be explained.

As has been stated the distributing means ii: is formed with a flexible neck23 the flexibility adapting the device for application in corners, as shown in Fig. 4, and other semiinaecessible places, where it is more convenient to hold the magazine at an inclined angle to the work 30. To maintain the tip in proper register with the work under construction a nozzle handle 31 is provided which is mounted on the pivots 29 of the said collar 28.

The handle 31 is preferably provided with a longitudinal curvature wherewith to protect the hand of the. workman from rubbing the work. and by its pivotal mounting the handle may be swung from the wall as far as desired within the range of its movement.

The pivotal end of the handle may be provided with a latching means of any suitable design for adjustment purposes, one of such means consisting of a stamped and cut portion 32 providing a spring, notches 33 arranged in the edge thereof, and a pin 34 secured in the collar to frictionally engage the notches and maintain the handle in the desired position.

The opposite, or what may be termed the rearward end of the handle, is turned in in a manner to partially close the end of the handle and this turned in portion is arranged and designed to provide slides adapted to slidably engage a groove 37 formed in the nozzle head 8, as shown.

The groove and slides when united provide a rigid securing means that will maintain the handle 31 in rigid and non-flexible extension with the magazine, and with its U shaped cross section, as may be inferred from Fig. 1, it will enclosethe neck on three sides and thus further aid in providing a stiff nozzle, for

use on side walls or other clearly accessible portions of the work.

By this arrangement of the distributing means 4 it also forms a single assembly which is desirable for cleansing purposes.

In use the plunger head 7 is removed from the magazine which is then filled with the mortar to be used in filling the cracks.

Assuming now that the accessible portion of the Work is to be finished the thumb of the operator is inserted in the ring in a manner to bring the fingers to a position to seize the operating lever and the other hand of the operator grasps the distributor, the nozzle of which is then directed to the work. 7

The spreading tip having a width greater than the width of the crack utilizes the margin to guide the tip as it is moved along the line of the crackto be filled.

This width of the tip now provides capacity for a reserve amount of .mortar over that immediately necessary to fill the crack, with a result that any slight discrepancy in the amount of pressure exerted on the force feed mechanism will not be noticeable to a degree that vacant spaces will be left in the finished oint. I

Forcing the mortar is accomplished by closing the hand and fingers that grasp the operating lever, forcing the lever against the handle 15, and by continued working of this lever as the device is guided along the crack by the other hand of the workman a supply of mortar is constantly made available.

In the semi-inaccessible places the nozzle handle 31 is raised from its groove 37 and the nozzle neck, and is then brought out to a convenient position to guide the tip.

Now as the neck is flexible the magazine and force feed is brought to a convenient position for operation and the tipis held against the crack by means of the nozzle handle, and irrespective of the positionof the magazine.

The force feed isnow operated as before and the crack becomes filled with mortar. As thewidth of the tip is in excess of the crack all excess mortar is removed by the tip as the tip moves along the surface of the Work, With a clean smooth job remaining.

As soon as the Work is completed, or when there is a lull in the work, the plunger head and the nozzle head are removed and Water is then utilized to thoroughly cleanse the interior of the magazine and, nozzle, which is accomplished as the mortar is still damp, and as the interior surfaces are smoothed to provide no recesses in which the mortar may lay, to set and cause an obstruction.

Having thus described my invention I claim- 1. In a crack filler, a hand magazine adapted for force feeding and comprising a cylinder, a plunger, and means to forcibly operate said plunger, a nozzle comprising a flexible neck attached to said cylinder and a spreading tip attached to said neck, and means incorporated with said nozzle torender said neck nonflexible, and a handle attached to and foldably mounted on said nozzle.

2. In a crack filler, a' magazine adapted for force feeding and comprising a'cylinder having removable heads, a handle formed on one of said heads and extended perpendicular to said cylinder, a plunger mounted in said cylinder, an operating lever carried by said handle and provided With a dog adapted to engage the plunger rod of said plunger to forcibly operate said plunger, a flexible nozzle attached to said'magazine and a handle attached to and foldably and adj ustably mounted on said nozzle and adapted to render said nozzle non-flexible.

3. In a crack filler, a magazine adapted for force feeding and comprising a cylinder having removable heads, a handle formed on one of said heads and extended perpendicular to said cylinder, a plunger mounted in said cylinder, a lever carried by said handle and provided With a dog adapted to engage the plunger rod of said plunger to forcibly operate said plunger, said head, plunger, and dog being arranged as a single assembly, a flexible nozzle attached to said magazine, and a handle attached to and foldablyand adjustably mounted on said nozzle, and adapted to engage said magazine to render said nozzle 4. In a crack filler, a magazine adapted for force feeding and comprising a cylinder hav- 7 lar to said cylinder, a plunger mounted in said cylinder, a lever carried by said handle and provided With a dog adapted to engage I the plunger rod of said plunger to forcibly operate said plunger, said plunger head,

plunger, operating lever and dog being arranged as a single assembly, a flexible nozzle attached to said nozzle head, a handle at tached to and foldably and adj ustably mounted on said nozzle'and provided with a free 

